Complaint Review: HART-DAVIDSON DESIGNS - WILLIAMSTON Michigan

I contacted Leslie Hart-Davidson because she had been the designer on a local home makeover done for my family.  My husband had since passed away and I wanted to add a dormer (some square footage) and remodel the front of my home to make it low maintenance and also make it more craftsman style.  I wanted to offer her the chance to make a little money doing project oversight for me (as I work full-time and felt loyalty towards her for her participation on the televised home makeover).

I explained that I had done a lot of construction myself (I renovated 3 houses completely) and was willing to do the project management myself so...I wasn't willing to pay a lot for someone else to do it.  I just couldn't justify that.  So I understood if she wanted to pass on the project.  NOTE:  I didn't need design work, I knew exactly what I wanted.  She said "I would LOVE to work with you again".  I told her my budget was $50,000 for everything and that I wanted stone on the front of the house.  She assured me that my budget was plenty to do the job.  This made sense to me because I had "run the numbers" myself and felt I had enough for surprises or possible upgrades during the renovation.

She took my retainer which was later broken down to include the $3,000 for her project management for the life of the project (and $3,000 for up front payroll for the builder & $4,000 for the architect).  Her fee was referred to as a "flat fee" by her repeatedly.  Once the bids were in from the architect and the builder I was shocked to see I was already over budget by more than $5,000!  Also, even though my earlier estimates included paying someone else to paint, HER contract said I had to paint everything (inside and out) and pay for all the paint.  She said I couldn't afford stone now either...except for on the support pillars but not the front of the porch as I'd wanted.  She said I could ONLY AFFORD cedar shakes.  That is not a low maintenance option but she said "it will be GREAT, you'll dip them".  I specifically questioned the bids of the builder and architect and she assured me those were their prices and she trusted them and their prices.  She also told me it would be thousands more if I went elsewhere.  She put her hand on her heart and said "I lowered my usual fee because I SO wanted to do this for you and your sister".  I thanked her for only charging me $3,000.

She then asked for $8,000 to give the builder to order supplies but did not give any of it to him.  At this point I thought he'd been given $11,000.  She told him that if I asked about it, to tell me she had paid him (the builder) lots and lots of money.  When he emailed her later and told her he was concerned to think that I thought he had received some money she explained that he shouldn't worry because there would be money for him at the end.  She told him the entire retainer I'd paid her ($10,000) was JUST for her payroll costs.  Remember, her "flat fee" for the life of the project was only $3,000.  I have read these emails and they were evidence in court.

She was only seen twice on the job site for the first 5 weeks after work started and was reported to have only stayed about 10 minutes each time.  It got to the point where I was updating her on the project and reminding her to do things like order flooring and do a light placement walk through.  She never did those as she promised.  She did not communicate the information on the roofing manufacturer so the wrong roof was installed.  She took no responsibility for this and lied to me saying the builder was told and that he had told the roofer and the roofer messed up.  The builder told me he had asked for that information but never got it so he never knew and never told the roofer.  I paid again for the roofing supplies because it wasn't their error you you DON'T make your subs pay for your mistakes!  I regretted hiring her and felt I'd really wasted that $3,000.

THEN...while talking to the builder I discovered that Leslie Hart-Davidson had lied to me about the amount of his bid.  She told me it was over $48,400 and it was only $36,165!  So I actually could have afforded the house I had designed.  I did the math and discovered I had already paid her enought to finish the project prior to a check I'd given her the day before.  I put a stop payment on that recent check.  I called her and emailed her and explained that I'd placed a stop payment on the check and it was important she call me.  She emailed me several times and made excuses as to why she couldn't call me back.  She NEVER asked me why I'd placed the stop payment.  She kept calling the builder to find out what he'd told me, he refused to tell her. She made and cancelled two appointments (via email) to meet with me.  She then emailed me that I was in breach of contract and she would mail me my house key back.  I kept asking her to explain to me how I was wrong in my perception of what she'd done.  She would never explain herself.  She never paid another invoice submitted by the builder.  She then SUED ME!!  She had $13,700 MORE THAN THE $3,000 I'd agreed to pay her and she was now suing me for another $11,000!!!

After going through the court system for a year and paying thousands and thousands in legal expenses the judge ruled on December 3, 2014.  Her suit against me was "denied and dismissed" because she is legally barred from suing me on a construction contract as she is not a licensed contractor AND "The Remodeling Contract for Dormer and Porch Project is void due to Leslie Hart-Davidson's fraudulent inducement, on behalf of HDD".

Here is another exact excerpt from the ruling "The Court finds that there was fraud or deception, on the part of HDD, in the inducement for this contract.  Further, the Court finds that fraud or deception to have been perpetrated by Leslie Hart-Davidson in her representation of HDD."  The ruling also reads: "This Court finds the testimony of Leslie Hart-Davidson to be less than credible."

My counter claim was deemed reasonable and was granted.   AND...I was granted sanctions against both HDD (Hart-Davidson Designs) and Leslie Hart-Davidson.  The sanctions granted are my actual attorney fees.

I have made a few new friends who were also previous clients of Leslie Hart-Davidson.  I will ask them to post their experiences as well so that people may get a good understanding of Ms. Hart-Davidson's business practices.